The union represents the majority of staff employed in psychiatric, government intellectual disability and alcohol and drug services in Victoria.
As a union, it represents members to provide the collective strength to bargain for reasonable wages and conditions and ensure proper professional standards are delivered.
The Union was first registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act as a federal organisation on 12 April 1911, but had been operating on an informal basis for a number of years before that.
An amalgamation of the two bodies took place in 1930 and formed "The Hospital, Dispensary and Asylum Employees' and Allied Government Officers' Federation of Australia".
Both have a very long history record of supporting and organising members in mental health and alcohol and drug disability services.